Taught a Lessonto Her Husband, His Mother, and His Sister
Wheres my dinner, Alice? I said, wheres the food?!
Alice didnt so much as glance at her husband. She sat at the edge of the sofa, cradling a wiggling bundle in her arms, soft whimpers floating up.
Shh, Rosie, please she whispered. Shes only just quieted down. I spent half the day at the surgery, then the chemist, and
I couldnt care less where you’ve been! Mark barged into the room, still wrapped in his coat. I work, I pay the billsyours and the kids!
I come home and I expect to see a steaming bowl of soup on the tablenot your sulking face and that endless wailing.
What exactly have you done all day?
I was tending to your daughter, Alice replied, meeting his glare. Shes broken out in a rash again.
The doctors havent a clue, so I had to hunt down creams myself.
Have you even asked how shes feeling? Not once.
Whats there to ask? Shes screamingso shes alive. Youre her mother, you deal with it.
Its your job to make me comfortable. Thats the whole point of getting married, isnt it?
So I can eat frozen pies for tea, and never have a full nights sleep again?
You married me because it was convenient, Alice cut in. And I agreed because everyone kept harping on at me: Its time, its time.
Well, here it isthe right time.
Marks face twisted. He strode to the pram in the corner and kicked a wheel with force.
The pram rolled, thumping into the dresser.
Rosie, in Alices arms, shrieked, setting off another exhausted fit of tears.
Shut her up! Mark barked. Or I swear, I dont know what Ill do.
Just a year ago, Alices life had been so different.
She was the girl people turned to look at on the streetdressed perfectly, sharp-witted, with weekends brimming with plans.
Mark had seemed like a prince: handsome, ambitious, always getting his way.
They argued, made scenes, made up in front of everyone and loved fiercely.
When Mark presented the ring, Alice hesitatedbut her parents insisted.
Alice, darling, how long will you keep running about? her mother sighed, spooning out cottage cheese pancakes. Youre twenty-seven.
Marks a reliable lad, good family. Youll have a flat soon. And children? Wholl look after you in old age?
Mum, what old age? I like my job, Ive just landed a new project.
Work is nothing, love, piped up her dad, buried behind his paper. A woman without a family is like a tree without roots. Youll wither without even realising.
Mark loves you, and the restyoull work it out.
Alice caved. She made the one concession she would recall with bitterness through every sleepless night.
The wedding was grand, the flat on mortgage, and the pregnancy a sudden storm no one saw coming.
Everything happened too quickly, racing by. She barely had time to adjust to being a wife before she was the cradle for a new life.
Shed dreamt of a son. Pictured them watching football, imagined hed take after hercalm and considerate.
But the sonogram: Its a girl. And something inside her snapped.
Labour was a nightmare. Complications, drips, pale hospital corridors reeking of antiseptic and despair.
When they at last let her return home, Alice was left feeling like a smashed vase, clumsily stuck together.
She looked at the tiny being in the cot and felt nothing but crushing irritation.
Why wont she stop crying? she begged her mother, whod come to help.
Colic, love, just wait it out. We all did. You must, too. Shes hungry.
She wont take it! Everything hurts, Mum!
Youre not breastfeeding properly. Try harder. Youre a mother nowforget want, now theres only needs.
During all this, Mark washed his hands of fatherhood. Two weeks of feigned doting, then he faded.
He detested the baby smell, cursed the scattered muslins, and most of all resented that Alice was no longer his personal geisha.
***
Mum called, Mark announced in the kitchen, watching Alice stir weak broth one-handed, clutching the fussy baby with the other. She says Sophies had another meltdown.
Sophie, Marks sister, was three years his senior, married five years, no children.
Each time she saw a post of Alices online, or even heard the babys name, shed have a full-on breakdown.
And what am I supposed to do? Apologise for giving birth? Alice snapped, tossing down the spoon.
You should show some humility. Mum says you rub your motherhood in her face on purpose.
And she reckons youre a rubbish housekeeper. Alice, theres dust on the skirting boards.
Your mother hasnt visited for a fortnight, Mark. How would she know about the skirting boards?
She just knows! Mark slammed the table. And shes right. Look at youspattered dressing gown, red eyes.
Youve becomesome farmwife from the sticks.
If you ever helped me. If you got up even once at night
I work! he shouted. Cant you wrap that round your thick skull? I earn. Your job is the kid and the house.
By the way, were going to your parents cottage Saturday. They want fresh air for the baby. Mine will be there too.
I dont want to go. Its freezing, no clean water for bathing, your mother whispers behind my back with mine
Dont care what you want. Parents said were going, so pack up by eight. And keep your moaning to yourself.
***
The cottage weekend only made things worse. Alices parents swooped on the baby, snatching her from Alices arms at every turn.
Alice, youre holding her wrong! Mum yelled from the garden bench. Support her head! Honestly, what sort of swaddling is that? Let me!
Leave me alone, Alice bit out, slipping away to the far end of the lawn.
Mark pointedly ignored both wife and child there, sitting with his father-in-law to discuss car repairs, and only added fuel when his mother-in-law joined in the jibes.
Oh, Alice, whats that on her cheeks? Another rash? his mother, Judith, peered into the pram, squinting. Youre not careful enough. Must be your diet.
My Sophie, if she had a little one, why, shed treat her like a porcelain doll. So fussy, my girl…
Then have Sophie give birth, whats the hold-up? Alice shot back.
Judith clutched her chest theatrically.
Mark! Did you hear? Shes mocking your poor sisters sorrow!
Mark leapt up, grabbing Alices arm hard.
Apologise to my mum. Now.
Let go, youre hurting me!
Apologise, I said! Or youll regret it!
Her parents stood by, but rather than defend their daughter, her father growled:
Alice, show respect. Marks right. Mind yourself.
And thats when Alice knew: she was utterly alone. All against her.
A husband who saw a servant, parents who put status before her happiness, and a mother-in-law bent on poisoning their marriage out of envy.
***
The crisis struck a week after their return to the city.
The babys tummy pains were unrelenting; Alice hadnt slept in two days.
At last, when Rosie drifted off into a heavy sleep, Alice slumped to the kitchen floor, eyes closed, back throbbing.
The front door slammed open. Mark was home, fouler than ever.
Why are there bins in the hallway? he barked instead of a greeting.
Alice didnt answer. She didnt have the strength to part her lips.
Im talking to you. He barged past, kicking her leg. Up. Take the rubbish out. Now.
Take it yourself, she whispered. I cant. My backs gone, and I just want an hours sleep, Mark. Please.
Cant, cant, cant, he sneered, grabbing her dressing gown collar, yanking her upright.
The fabric ripped.
Look at youprincess cant cope. Women used to work the fields with five kids on their hips, and youre falling apart.
A thin cry came from the next room. The baby had woken. Mark, eyes wild, stormed off.
That noise! Again! He stamped to the cot and shook it sharply. Shut her up, for Gods sake!
Rosie gasped for breath, wailing in terror.
Alice shot to the nursery, pushing at him. Dont touch her! Let her go!
Shes ruined my life! Mark screamed, raising a palm and landing a brutal slap across Alices face.
She smashed against the wardrobe, back of her head splitting with pain.
Her vision blurred. But what scared her most was that Mark hadnt stopped.
He turned again to the cot and, deliberate and venomous, pinched the babys tiny leg.
Rosie screamed with a pain Alice had never heard.
Something snapped inside her. The self-pity, the exhaustion, the numbnessall gone.
Rage was all that remained.
Alice seized a heavy porcelain figurine off the shelfan awful gift from her mother-in-lawand stepped forward.
Touch her again, she hissed, arm raised, and I swear, Ill cave your skull in.
Get out.
Mark froze.
You dare raise a hand to me, you? This is my flat!
Our flat, bought during the marriage, Alices voice was like steel. Both our wages went on the mortgage. My parents made the last payment earlywith me off work. Its half mine.
But I dont bloody care. Go. Before I call the police and get your violence on record.
My face bears your handprint, Mark. The bruises on your daughter will say the rest.
They may not lock you up, but Ill ruin your life so thoroughly you’ll be working for solicitors until youre old and grey.
Alice left the room to phone the police.
***
It dragged on for weeks. Mark enlisted his mother and sister; they rang, texted, insulted and threatened, but Alice refused to give an inchshe simply blocked their numbers.
When her own parents came to make peace, she didnt even open the door.
Either you stand with me, or you forget where I live.
Your son-in-law laid a hand on your newborn granddaughter. If you think thats normal, weve nothing to say.
Her father stood silent, her mum weeping, but when the bruise on Rosies tiny leg was revealed, they fell speechless.
Both agreed that cruelty to a helpless child could never be excused.
Alice didnt just file for divorceshe went to his office, calm and composed, files in hand.
No scene, no dramashe simply showed the head of securitya mate of her fathersfootage from the nanny cam Mark himself had insisted on, before the child was born.
It showed everything. The nursery incident, every moment.
Mark was quietly asked to resign. Reputation was everything at the firm; a scandal like that, nobody wanted.
On hearing the news, Judith collapsed with high blood pressure, Sophie silenced, terrified Alice might share the video online with their acquaintances.
***
Now, Alice lives peacefully. Moneys often tight, but she never complains.
Mark gave up his share in the flat for child support; Alice was more than fine with that.
Her exs family instantly forgot the childs existence. Her father never visits.
To the women he meets, Mark says hes never even been married.
